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Sen. Donoghue to chair economy committee

By Katie Lannan, State House News Service

Updated:
07/19/2016 08:48:25 AM EDT

Donoghue

BOSTON -- Conference committees were appointed Monday to negotiate three major bills, setting the stage for talks that will aim to produce compromises between conflicting House and Senate versions of closely watched legislation.

With their final reports not subject to amendments by other lawmakers, the three six-person committees will have significant power to shape the final forms of legislation dealing with economic development, municipal government reform, and noncompetition agreements between employers and employees.

Sen. Eileen Donoghue of Lowell and Joseph Wagner of Chicopee will chair the economic development conference committee. Joining them are House Ways and Means Chairman Brian Dempsey, of Haverhill, Rep. James Kelcourse of Amesbury, Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Karen Spilka of Ashland and Sen. Vinny deMacedo of Plymouth. Kelcourse and deMacedo are the Republicans.

Talks on the noncompete bill will commence between Reps. Brian Dempsey, John Scibak and Republican Jay Barrows, and Sens. Daniel Wolf, William Brownsberger and Republican Ryan Fattman.

Each of the committees -- and two others already engaging in talks on high-profile bills aiming to diversify the state's energy mix and regulate the ride-for-hire industry -- will be striving to reach agreements by July 31, when formal sessions end for the year.

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Conference committees do not typically divulge details of their discussions.

The five bills now before conference committees make up the bulk of what Gov. Charlie Baker last week described as the "big six" items Beacon Hill leaders are focusing on as the window for legislative action shrinks.

The sixth bill, which seeks to ensure equitable pay between men and women, passed the House last week and the Senate in January.

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